Joy at marae as medals of ancestors presented
Moving ceremony for wha¯ nau of soldiers
Thousands attended a medal ceremony in honour of C Company of the 28th (Ma¯ ori) Battalion at Rotorua’s Te Papaiouru Marae on Saturday. Among the crowd were wha¯ nau of 89 battalion soldiers who were presented with their ancestors’ World War II service medals.
The ceremony was attended by the last remaining member of the 28th (Ma¯ori) Battalion, Sir Robert “Bom” Gillies. Sir Willie Apiata VC also attended.
Minister for Veterans Meka Whaitiri — along with other ministers Kelvin Davis, Willie Jackson and Kiritapu Allen — presented the medals.
Kayla Mason and her family, including cousins Tyreece and Kayden, travelled up from Taranaki.
“It was an honour. The boys were blown away,” Mason said.
“They’ve never been to something like that and they didn’t know their great, great grandfather.
“They were pretty stoked to be able to go up with their koro and receive the medals on behalf of everyone. It was a special moment for
them.”
Colonel Trevor Walker, representing Chief of Army Major General John Boswell, said the ceremony was a
“fantastic occasion”.
“Here in Rotorua today on Paipaiouru Marae, it was both emotional and joyful,” Boswell said.
“The feeling of aroha was tangible, and the knowledge that we are helping to put something right for the wha¯nau of those men who marched
into history is a real privilege.”
New Zealand Government policy after World War II was that former service personnel would have to apply for their medals, which would then be sent to them through the post.
For a variety of reasons, however, many veterans did not claim their medals.
NZDF Personnel Archives and Medals worked with David Stone, from Te Mata Law, regarding the unclaimed medals of C Company of the 28th (Ma¯ori) Battalion.
They identified approximately 500 sets of medals which were never claimed.
“The team from NZDF archives are the unsung heroes of this kaupapa,”
Colonel Walker said.